Survey: Most Employees Still Don’t Want to Talk Politics at Work

An already contentious political climate is only going to heat up in the coming months, as we inch closer to November’s presidential election.

Political conversations have seeped into virtually every corner of our culture, including the workplace. Of course, these discussions are bound to occur more frequently during a presidential election cycle. And, yes, they can turn ugly.

Earlier this year, a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. employees found a majority of workers (77%) saying they would prefer to avoid talking politics on the job.

A new poll from Monster offers more evidence that avoiding political discourse in the workplace is probably a good idea.

In a recent survey of more than 900 workers, nearly 70% said they were not comfortable talking politics at work. And, while 64% indicated that they respect their co-workers’ rights to their political beliefs, 33% said they have judged co-workers negatively based on their political beliefs. More than half of respondents would consider leaving their job if their employer openly expressed political beliefs with which they disagreed.

All that said, two-thirds of employees reported having discussed politics with co-workers, and close to half (45%) said they have felt pressured to share their political beliefs in the workplace. Among this group:

⃰ 40% said they felt pressured during informal conversations with colleagues

⃰ 15% have felt compelled to do so during group meetings

⃰ 13% said the same about interactions they’ve had with clients or vendors

⃰ 11% of workers have felt pressured to talk politics during discussions or reviews with their manager of supervisor

Most employees felt strongly about staying clear of the topic, however, with 60% of respondents thinking political discussions should be avoided entirely in the workplace. Another 59% said they think discussing politics with colleagues would have a negative impact on their career. Fourteen percent went so far as to say they would rather get a cavity filled than talk about politics on the job.

Lorie Reichel Howe, founder of Conversations in the Workplace, will host a PSHRA webinar on Sept. 12, focusing on how to create a culture of respect where employees interact respectfully, even when their opinions differ. Earlier this year, she authored an article for Public Eye on the same subject, in which she offered some advice for maintaining a civil work environment even as the political temperature continues to rise.

“Creating a culture of respect and accountability is not achieved through a ‘one and done’ training or by publishing a code of conduct manual,” she wrote. “Leaders and all employees need to speak up any time challenging behaviors occur, when egos erupt and when expectations [for employee behavior] are not met.”

Ongoing training and accessible resources, practice sessions and conversations on accountability for individual workplace behavior are necessary as well, Howe concluded.

“During this political year, there is a critical need to create cultures of respect. The reality is that a culture of respect is either built day by day or destroyed day by day.”